The Report for 2018, released in November 2018, highlighted a number of key trends mentioned below that we have also observed in recent years. If you are a high school student or the parent of a high school student preparing to apply in the Fall of 2019, you might find it helpful to keep in mind these recent college admission trends.

Increase in Number of Colleges Each Student Applies To

With fiercer competition, students are applying to a greater number of college of varying competitiveness. Online college application platforms like the Common App and the Coalition make it much easier and quicker for students to apply to several colleges at once.

Admission rates are slightly lower

This comes as a bit of a surprise - admission rates dropped slightly in 2016 to 65.1 percent from 66.1 percent the year before (note that to date, these are the most recent admission rates reported by the Department of Education). That is equivalent to almost two thirds of freshman being accepted.

Decline in Average Yield Rate for Freshmen Continues

The yield rate in college admission terms refers to the percent of students who choose to enroll in a college after having been offered admission. The yield rate has dropped, meaning fewer students are accepting offers than before. This is more than likely because students are applying to a lot more colleges.

International Student Acceptance Rate is Low

It's more difficult for international students to be accepted into college than US applicants. For the Fall of 2017 the admit rate for international students was 30 percent, compared to 50 percent for US students.

Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) Activity Increases

Another common strategy students are taking to increase their chances of admission is to apply early, as early applications tend to have a higher admit rate than regular decision. Between 2016 and 2017, the early decision and early admission rates increased by 4 percent and 10 percent respectively.

Wait List Activity Increases and Wait List Acceptance Remains Low

From our own experience we've seen an increase in the number of our students being wait listed so this comes as no surprise. In 2017, the number of colleges using a wait list was reported to be at 40 percent with 25 percent being eventually accepted. With this in mind, Empowerly has developed strategies for their students who are wait listed to improve their chances of acceptance.

Admission Offices Identify Grades, High School Curriculum, and Test Scores as Top Factors for First-Time Freshmen

Grades, the classes you take and your standardized testing scores are the most important components of your college application. These weigh more heavily than other factors like the short answer essay, extracurricular activities or your teacher recommendation letters.

Top Factor for International Students is English Proficiency Exam Scores

The most important factor for international applicants is the TOEFL or equivalent English proficiency exams.

With regards to school counselling, the report paints a bit of a dim picture. If you had anticipated your school counselor could dedicate time to guide you through the college admission process, you'll be disappointed to hear that its a struggle for many counselors, given the large number of students they are responsible for.

Student-to-Counselor Ratio is low

Each public school counselor (including elementary and secondary) was responsible for 470 students, on average in 2017-18. When we first reported this back in 2015-6, this number was lower at 1:350.

Time spent on postsecondary counselling is low

On average, public school counselors spent 21 percent of their time on postsecondary counseling in 2017–18 (approximately 8.5 hours a week), while their private school counterparts focused more time, 47 percent of 19 hours a week, on college counseling.

As a result, students are looking more and more to independent college admission counselors to help them with their college applications. Empowerly can offer you this - personalized guidance every step of your educational journey. If you are interested in finding more about our services, sign up for a free consultation below.

Empowerly, founded in a Stanford dorm room, takes a holistic approach to college counseling. We combine years of industry experience with the latest data insights to help students at every stage of their journey. From underclassmen still discovering their passions, all the way through selecting which college to attend, we can help students achieve their dreams.